


A Memory Undying

by The_War_Within_Me



Category: Guild Wars 2 (Video Game), Guild Wars Series (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:53:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26458249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_War_Within_Me/pseuds/The_War_Within_Me
Summary: A moment caught in time between trudging further into a dead land and returning home.  These ravaged hillsides hold many memories, and so many dead...  But not all.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	A Memory Undying

The fetid Orrian air is stagnant and hot even this high, settled upon the center of a halfway collapsed ring that once served as a mantlepiece for an archival building. I've grown impatient waiting for our next order, and have come from the encampment positioned south of Lyssa's cathedral. If I remain immobile, I begin to feel boxed in and trapped, especially here of all places with the sky seeming as oppressive as a thick blanket of oily water.

An Asura sits at the edge of the ring as I lay out with my rifle propped. His bright green eyes are covered with a magnifying lens, scoping out the expanse below us. "Sixteen meters south by southwest of your angle, Commander."

I shift, mentally counting it out. A Risen comes into my scope, stumbling from the doorway of a building that once was a plant nursery for the beautiful gardens nearby. "Ah... she seems harmless..."

"And my Risen kin are  _ harmless _ until one decides to take a leap at your carotid artery. Best to destroy them quickly. And, I suppose,  _ humanely..." _

"I'd rather not draw more attention than I need to get. We've finally got the area settled, after all."

"Perhaps. What about that little device your twitchy friend conceived? It's supposed to mask the sound of gunshots."

"It does, at the cost of accuracy and propulsion. I avoid bows for that precise reason. Slow reload, inaccurate, and after a few hours even the strongest arms get exhausted from pulling back."

The Asura scoffs faintly. "I knew I should've stayed home. It's so much less stress driving off the wretched Inquest and their ineptitude... In any case, they’re just Risen. They need to be dispatched." he pauses as I hum in response so he knows he isn't ignored. "Huh, look at that..."

I glance up, but he's still looking through his lens. I return my gaze to the Risen. A sad sight... her lovely dress is tattered around her knees and half her hair is gone. In fact, her left arm is  _ also _ gone. It looks like it was ripped off by something very large. I gloss over all of this, because what truly catches my eye is the thing around her neck. It used to be gold... A lovely, ornate choker encrusted with rubies, with a beautiful sapphire hanging from the tip.

I know that... I know what it is.

"She said she got it from her father..."

"What's that, Commander?"

I hear the Asura speak, but it just doesn't register as I stare at her through my scope. I feel my mouth open, but nothing comes out.

_ "Oh! You must be Melandru's aspect I've been hearing about! It's such a pleasure to finally meet you myself." _

_ She lowers her head in greeting as I approach. A beautifully dyed dress is tied tight somewhat high on her waist, looking a bit like a twilight sky. The quartz that dot it look like stars. Her hair is thick and wild, down to her cinched waist. There are diamond beads threaded through it. For once, none of these shiny baubles catch my eyes... But hers do. Shockingly blue, they make her caramel-toned skin seem that much warmer. _

_ On her neck, a beautiful piece of jewelry... bright gold, meticulously carved by a master's hand, the rubies are surrounded by the gods' sigils. The sapphire that hangs down has small wings, perhaps signifying Dwayna. _

_ Once I find my voice once more, I have to take a breath and recall what I meant to say before. "Ah, well... I'm quite pleased to meet such a magnificent individual as yourself..." I finally find myself looking away toward the shop. It's a booth in one of the open markets, but I remember passing the building a few days ago. She's here with others to promote their works. "You've made all of these beautiful pieces?" _

_ "Yes! My father taught me the art of the jeweler when I could barely walk. I fell in love with it more and more the older I got." She beams and picks up a necklace with Melandru's visage twisted in white gold, appearing almost as if it's been made of bleached wood. "An offering for Melandru's spirit?" _

_ Something makes me hesitate. I stare at it, held up in the bright Orrian summer sun. It has lovely green peridots in the branches of the visage. If this were any other day, any other... person... I wouldn't have even thought about it. It would be in my hand in an instant, a mumbled thanks and assurance, some cobbled together god’s prayer as I hastily move away to scope out my next target. Not now. But... _

_ "Are you alright?" _

_ Her voice snaps me out of it. I've been standing here for many long moments, staring almost past the lovely woman and her creation. "I... I'm sorry, miss... I'm fine. I was simply admiring this beautiful thing... It looks like it's carved out of wood. Your craft is... truly masterful." _

_ She blushes, giggles, and it catches me off guard again. Oh... _

_ "Well then," she says after gathering herself. "I couldn't expect it to go anywhere else! Please, sir." _

_ "I don't... ahmmh... I will take it, my dear... perhaps for an exchange?" _

_ "An exchange!" This brightens her more, if that's even possible. "A prayer?" _

_ "I would always spare a prayer for you, ma'am. But perhaps... your name?" _

_ “My... my name?” This seems to give her pause, and she tilts her head slightly to the left. I follow the motion without realizing it at first. “Why so curious?” _

_ “Our goddess Melandru and those in servitude to her enjoy learning the names of those whose offerings are... above reproach, of course.” _

_ For a moment she seems flustered, looking down and around at the other shops and biting her lips to stifle a growing smile as her cheeks deepen in color ever so faintly. Why do I keep seeing these little things? “My... my name is Marzi.” _

_ "What a beautiful name, miss. Mine is Eirian. It's such a pleasure to meet you. What may Melandru do to help you in exchange for a wonderful offering?" _

_ She brings herself to recover, and hands me the amulet. I take good care to gently wrap the chain so it doesn't tangle, then slip it into an inner pocket to protect it from being lost. "My father owns a farm nearby, in Azubul's hillsides. We've lost a lot of workers and we're a small family, we can't handle it all..." _

_ "I see..." this does concern me. It brings up a warm, uneasily burning sensation in my chest and stomach. Is this what it's like to care for someone else...? "Melandru doesn't often deal in this sort of aspect..." I pause as Marzi's face falls a bit. "... But... I'm sure I can help. Pray tonight to Melandru, and I'm sure you'll find a bit of help coming to you soon." _

_ "Oh, thank you... so much..." Marzi sighs in relief. "Thank you, sir. I'll do just that." _

_ As I depart from the girl, my mind keeps wandering back to her. For days after I help her family, I learn more of the lovely Marzi, her interest in becoming as prolific a crafter as Malchor himself. Her adoration of small animals and how she saves them when they unwittingly slip through the crop fences instead of letting them be killed. She claims she is blessed by Melandru for her ability to make anything grow bright and healthy. Indeed, her gorgeous farmland is bright and bountiful, and I enjoy walking through the orchards with her while I garner them more attention in the city when I’m away. _

_ She often meets me first when I come back each morning, a bright smile on her beautiful face that I can’t shake throughout the day. It’s something gorgeous... something I feel I’ve been missing from my life for so long. A lovely person... a lovely Marzi. Despite the growing workers, I find myself going back often. Often, indeed, just to walk with her. I cannot slip much of my life, as I have to keep my facade intact, even with this, the woman I believe I’ve truly fallen in love with. A... terrible thing, to be sure. _

_ Terrible, indeed, when guards came for me. Their shining golden armor, their gem-encrusted spears, the rage that glinted in their eyes beyond their shielded visors... I knew then, as I was taken away from my path to Marzi’s home, that something had gone horribly wrong. I was cuffed in chains, ropes, and led through the lands... led by foot while people watched, while they stared. I was taken to the center of Arah... to the big, beautiful temple I passed through to get to Azubul District. And there... my life came to an end. _

_ Bleeding feet, legs shaking to collapse, I was forced into an iron chair and bolted into place. Then I realized... I realized. _

_ I had been found out. Someone knew I wasn’t what I claimed myself to be. They spread the word. And here I am. Here I am, watching throngs of people approach with scorn in their eyes. Hate. The High Chancellor speaking from his scroll: “The crimes of this trickster spirit have not gone unseen. Nor will they be forgiven by a quick death. Thus it has been decided that his punishment will be everlasting. That this day marks the beginning of an eternal vigil. A warning to any who may think that, in the city of the Gods themselves, they may undermine the people closest to their love...” _

_ The binding process... it seared me. Seared me with invisible fire and chains twisting my soul into my body... melding them together. And through the tears of pain---and humiliation---I could see Marzi among the crowd. Her expression had been... it had been unreadable. Pain... anger... sorrow... fear... so many things wrought themselves upon her face, changing from moment to moment... and when I met my gaze with hers, she merely turned away. _

_ Oh, how could I blame her? How...? _

“Firing.”

Our protective headwear muffles the sound of the crack that snaps through the air. It shudders in my chest, then fades as Marzi is thrown back with the force of the bullet. Straight to the temple... she doesn’t even twitch again. I lean up, looking at the Asura. A quizzical expression is on his face, but I stonewall him as I bring the stand on my rifle down and reach into my coat to run my thumb over the ancient, tarnished visage of Melandru I keep within.

“You’re right, Tark. They’re just Risen.”


End file.
